Magnolia Blue was one of my favorite High Point eateries. Whether I went for weekend brunch or New…read moreYear's Eve dinner, I never had a bad meal there. It closed in early February for what were supposed to be renovations, only to reopen months later with a new name and a new concept, trading slightly upscale Southern for more upscale Italian. In some regards, this makes sense - it fills a void created by the closure of Lulu and Blu - but in other ways, it's a massive gamble. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner, and while it was an overall pleasant experience, it also made us miss Magnolia. The higher price point is the chief culprit. Otto and Blue offers pastas in the $20s and entrees starting in the $30s, bread and olive oil not included. While we were celebrating an occasion that merited such a splurge, it's hard to imagine the restaurant remaining competitive at those prices once the sheen of newness wears off. Look past that, however, and Otto and Blue shines in both ambiance and service. It's classy without being stuffy, and the dark turquoise tones suit it well. Allison, a Magnolia Blue mainstay, was personable and attentive and provided excellent service throughout the meal. Otto and Blue's menu offers apps, salads, pastas, and entrees. It's predominantly Italian albeit with a few options for the steak-and-potatoes crowd. The dishes range from recognizably classic (rigatoni Bolognese) to conspicuously elevated (halibut piccatta). After mulling over several offerings, we went with the bread service, tagliatelle, and duck cacciatore. The food ranged from fairly good to outstanding. While $9 for bread is a tough pill to swallow, they executed it as well as they possibly could have: a hot, fresh ciabatta with tasty herb butter, olive relish, and a quality olive oil-balsamic combo as accompaniments. The cacciatore boasted a pair of duck legs confit, and while I'm usually no fan of dark meat poultry, these were prepared well with crispy skin and plenty of meat. For a typically hearty dish, the sauce seemed light (and a bit subdued), but that could be a consequence of serving atop polenta (more absorbent) rather than pasta. Speaking of pastas and sauces, the tagliatelle hit a nice balance of creamy and zesty without swimming in its white wine lemon sauce. Surprisingly, the highlight of the meal ended up being the dessert that Otto and Blue kindly offered as an anniversary gift. A scoop of vanilla bean gelato came adorned with a Biscoff cookie, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt. If salt and especially olive oil on ice cream seem vaguely blasphemous, don't knock it until you try it. Each bite was thoroughly delicious. It's a given that good food doesn't come cheap, but even so, Otto and Blue has no margin for error to justify what it charges. On food alone, it was close but not quite there. However, the overall experience made it worthwhile, and I have no regrets about dining here.

It was my first time coming here and for brunch and I got their Magnolia Omelette which had lump…read morecrab, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and havarti cheese with their bradant potatoes and fresh fruit and it was amazing. I also had their fireside mule which was a delicious seasonal brunch drink with crown apple and ginger ale and butterscotch schnapps! We also got biscuits and they came out super dry initially but our server got us fresh ones and the fresh ones came out a little undercooked and she took them back without us even asking! The service was impeccable. The chicken and waffles looked delightful as well. The place is very posh and they have parking behind the building and make sure you walk towards the outside of the building towards their ground floor entrance! I'll be back soon!

I LOVE all the food that they have, especially the Fried Oysters! Mandey and the staff are very…read morefriendly and welcoming. Also, the atmosphere is comfy and unique - displays of local artwork and the Jazz is exceptional! Truly the place to go for a real NOLA experience! ( I've been to NOLA many times.)

Although this restaurant/bar has been renamed to something I can never spell (Rugaroo), it will…read morealways be Imbibe to me. Located in the heart of the UNC Chapel Hill campus, this establishment brings the feel of real New Orleans with the food and beverage selection. The owner Mandy is usually there working, is one of the nicest people, and makes you feel at home. Her mom makes the desserts (hence the rotating dessert menu). There is always a fun calendar of events featuring jazz musicians.

I love the experience inside and out! The staff was very helpful when I couldn't decide on what to…read moreorder they also explained the drink menu as well as the food. And prices were reasonable. Will definitely be going back!!!

This place... is one of our top two places in Jamestown. (The other is Simply Thai right across the…read morestreet.) Actually in the surrounding area too. Between excellent service, from the host to the kitchen staff, and being a bright, cheery place decorated in a modern farmhouse feel (only complaint is the HARD seating), we love this place. The food is always delicious and seasoned perfectly with FLAVOR. For the appetizer, the Salad Pizza is absolutely scrumptious and was recommended by our server our first visit here last year. Honestly, it keeps bringing us back. The flavors are incredible. It has feta, mozzarella, topped with organic greens, shaved onions, tossed in a lemon/dijon dressing with shaved parmesan. It's a flavor bomb in the mouth. The meatloaf, is to die for. If you're a meatloaf eater this is for you. It's so tender and juicy and perfectly seasoned. Melts in your mouth and the sauce on top is the perfect blend of sweet and savory to top it off. For my two sides this time I chose the fried brussels sprouts and the greens. The greens are always seasoned perfectly and the brussels sprouts were crispy and full of flavor. They tasted even better dipped in my meatloaf sauce so that was a win-win. My boyfriend had the special which was short ribs. For his two sides, he had greens and green beans. The short rib was perfectly tender and absolutely delicious full of flavor and moist for him. The green beans and the greens were also perfect as well full of flavor, just enough fat and butter. It's a great little date spot or a family dinner. They also have outdoor seating covered with umbrellas. There's a bar inside with a TV if you choose to go watch sports and the food here is always on point full of flavor and makes you want to come back and try more things on the menu. You can't go wrong at southern roots.

Randomly walked in for dinner…read more Absolutely amazing! Wings, and steak wrap, both 5 stars! Highly recommend this place for a great bite to eat downtown.

Caveat: I'm basing my rating on a single dish, the only thing I had to eat here. Maybe other menu…read moreoptions are far better. Crawfish etouffée shouldn't be light colored. Ever. And so my hopes for a positive experience deflated as soon as the dish arrived. Prior to that, things were going alright. Things weren't busy in this downtown establishment at lunchtime, so it was easy to get a seat. My order was taken quickly and filled quickly by a very polite and pleasant member of the staff. I was dining alone, so I took a spot at the bar, which seemed clean and well kept. The portion size of my entree was pretty good, and there was plenty of tail meat in the bowl. But to say the flavors were as flat as the color of the bowl's liquid contents would be accurate if perhaps even an understatement. Definitely not an accurate depiction of Louisiana cooking.

My first experience at this restaurant. The food was good and the atmosphere was better than I…read moreexpected for this kind of establishment. However, what really set this restaurant apart from others in the same category is the service. The staff, from the manager to the bartender, they went out of their way to make sure we had the best possible dinning experience. Our waiter, Nate, was relatively new in the job and asked the manager, Jermaine, about our order. Jermaine took the time to explain to us what we ordered and recommended another option so that we received the best value out of our dinner. There was a table next to us that ordered a particular type of Rum drink from the bar, the bartender went out of his way to explain to the customer that he didn't have the correct ingredients to make that specific cocktail. Absolutely one of the best customer service!

Save your money!…read more We each had fried oysters & fries. The fried oysters came shaped like uniform oval pucks, when you bit into the very thick, breading (like heavy mozzarella sticks?) it - was hot- then squishy & Wet. The actual oyster was gross like this as it was lying in wet breadcrumb center. They tasted canned or pre frozen. They were very briny with almost a bad Funk. I ate 2.5 of the six on the plate. The bathroom was visited on the way out and all stall doors open & each toilet filled with excrement. PS- very questionable rap also on the music being played: Rhianna - "Bitch Better have my money". Not cool of you had kids with you. Topped off the distasteful visit literally.

This is one of our favorite restaurants! Unique food, especially for the area. The staff are super…read morefriendly. Only thing negative is music can get pretty loud if you're there late.

both the gumbo and steak and cheese trash gumbo taste like…read morewater steak and cheese uncooked

Cajun-style food is so delicious, it's a shame I don't eat it as much as I do. I've heard plenty of…read morethis place as a "hidden gem" so I figured I would give it a whirl. I stopped in here on a Friday afternoon to grab a quick bite. Upon entrance, I really liked the paintings and other decorations spread throughout the dining room. The kitchen is visible as well which makes for a more immersive dining experience. The menu seemed to have plenty of seafood but I figured I'd opt for their special, a Blackened Red Snapper with Bacon Jalapeño Cream Sauce. It came with two sides so I decided to try out their okra and collard greens, after a recommendation from my waiter. I typically don't order collard greens but he said they have pork and are delicious. The place wasn't too busy so food came out quickly, about 10 minutes after I ordered. The food looked decent upon first glance, but I wasn't sold just yet. After my first bite of fish, I was taken aback by the delicious flavor of their cream sauce paired with the blackened fish. It was a solid portion of fish and tasted of good quality, so it didn't stand much a chance. The sides were also just as delicious. It's hard to mess up fried okra so my expectations were met to a tee. The collard greens were actually so incredible as well. I don't really know what they're made of but I definitely will be trying it more in the future, if other places prepare it as good. They also had a house hot sauce with was more flavor than heat, but paired wonderfully with everything. The whole meal was so good so I understand why they seem to a have solid amount of regulars at this place. The staff were very kind and attentive throughout the entire meal. If you want a taste of Louisiana, this place is a solid option in Charlotte.

WOW, Wow, wow! This restaurant SCREAMS for a five-star rating, but as this was our first time…read morehere, I am reluctant to immediately give one of my precious five-stars based on only a one time shot. That said, Yard Dog is not a dog at all, but a superb little restaurant with a great menu and mouth-watering foods. Oh boy! Wife and I entered and were surprised at just how small their dining area was. Couple that with a not-so-pleasant noise level, you will have difficulty seating more than four and conversation will be tough, but not impossible. You came to eat. It is a very cozy, busy and fun place. In addition to the super menu there is a chalk board with specials. Check those out first. I spotted catch of the day, which was Red Snapper, a favorite of mine, which came with two sides ($26). When served, it was three fillets, so the whole eatable parts of the fish, topped with a Cajun spice mixture and a horseradish sauce. This is a to-die-for or last meal item. The fish was perfectly cooked and my side of collards were as mammy has done for eons: flavorful with pork and a perfect complement to my catch of the day. And the fried okra was great and I paid the $.50 for ranch dressing, as fried okra SHOULD be so complemented. Wife does not eat sea food, so she was, initially, confronted with the challenge of finding a dish without seafood in it. She did. There were a number of options, like pasta with Andouille sausage ($21) which is listed as with shrimp, but they omitted the shrimp for her. She also spied blackened meatloaf and some other items for the next visit. The place is busy and the wait staff is hustling as fast as the kitchen can get orders out. The kitchen looks so small, but they are a blur of motion cooking and plating. Kudos to the kitchen and servers. Our server was Sophie and she was excellent. There are beverages on a separate menu, mostly wine, beer and hard cider, with some non-alcohol items also available. We both had hard cider at $6 a can. Draft beer was available at $7 a glass. We will definitely return, even give lunch a try. I will most likely answer the siren call for five stars, which is certainly in the cards. See for yourselves.

ordering online for takeout was easy and ready exactly on the time i put down on the app. When I…read morearrived, surprisingly busy for late lunch time, greeted by the sweet hostess and provided my take out no problem. Shockingly the boil wasn't over steamed when I got home, very fresh and flavorful (no fishy taste) I got headless shrimp, snow crab legs, potatos, corn in cajun/ garlic butter "mild" with a side of hush puppies. Hush puppies were on the dryer side but not a deal breaker. I haven't eaten in-house yet but I'm sure either way it's a win win.

Three of us came here for dinner. It was my first time but the others had been here before…read more I got the calamari and oysters and potatoes and hush puppies as my sides. The oyster breading was way too thick and very crunchy. I had to ask for cocktail sauce and lemon and that took a while. Based on my meal and service I would say a 3 but the others loved their meals. One got a shrimp boil and the other a combo of shrimp and crabs. You get to choose your sauce in the bags and one chose garlic butter the other the bang bang( a combo of all the sauces. The service was slow and we had to ask for refills. It's pricey but I guess that's because it's seafood. The theme is rustic/nautical.